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4-player base · 3-player expansion

Inis: glossary and rules terms

Definitions from the authored tutorial, with stable links for sharing a particular term. The selected edition and scenario determine how each rule applies.

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33 terms

Clan

One of your 12 figures. Presence needs at least one clan; a chieftain must have strictly more than every opponent in that territory. Removed clans return to their owner’s reserve.

Rule reference: Base pp. 2, 5–8

Territory

A land tile. Land territories interlock along their shaped edges. Only a shared border gives land adjacency. An island has no land neighbors.

Rule reference: Base pp. 3–5; Seasons p. 4

Chieftain

The player with strictly most clans in a territory. A tie means no chieftain. This status changes immediately when clan numbers change.

Rule reference: Base p. 5

Brenn

The player appointed from the capital’s chieftain at the start of Assembly. If the capital has no chieftain, the old Brenn stays. The Brenn starts the Season and breaks a tie among the leading qualified Pretenders.

Rule reference: Base pp. 5, 9

Capital

The territory chosen during setup. Its Capital building functions as one Citadel. Its chieftain becomes Brenn at the next Assembly, not immediately during the Season.

Rule reference: Base pp. 4–5, 7

Sanctuary

A shared building. Every player present in a territory counts all its sanctuaries toward the requirement of six. Control is unnecessary.

Rule reference: Base pp. 3, 9; Sanctuary card

Citadel

Each Citadel shelters one non-instigator clan during a clash. Shelter choices proceed clockwise one at a time. The Capital also counts as a Citadel. Craftsmen & Peasants can recruit beside Citadels.

Rule reference: Base pp. 7–8; Citadel and Craftsmen & Peasants cards

Pretender

Take your Pretender token as your whole turn while meeting at least one victory condition. Keep it until the Assembly even if the condition is later lost. A normal victory check considers only Pretenders.

Rule reference: Base pp. 6, 9

Deed

A permanent token that supplies one missing requirement toward one victory condition. The same Deed cannot help two conditions at once and is not discarded when counted.

Rule reference: Base p. 9

Victory condition

Be present in six territories; be present beside six total sanctuaries; or be chieftain over six opposing clans. The number of completed conditions decides the winner, with a Brenn tie-break.

Rule reference: Base p. 9

Dominance

Count opposing clans in every territory where you are chieftain. Six opposing clans meets one condition. Your own clans never count as the opposing clans.

Rule reference: Base p. 9

Action card

A green card drafted each Assembly. Some have Season timing, others Triskel timing. Used and unused Action cards return after the Season; their discard pile is face down.

Rule reference: Base pp. 3, 5–6, 8

Advantage card

A yellow territory card. The Assembly grants it to that territory’s chieftain. Once played it stays face down until the next Assembly. Citadel can take an unplayed Advantage immediately.

Rule reference: Base pp. 3, 5–6; Citadel card

Epic Tale

A red card with a specific Celtic legend and effect. Unlike Action cards, Epic Tales remain in hand between rounds. Their discard pile is public.

Rule reference: Base pp. 3, 6; individual faces

Draft

At three or four players, begin with four Action cards. Keep one and pass three, keep two and pass two, then keep three and pass one. Earlier held cards can be reconsidered at each selection.

Rule reference: Base p. 5

Triskel

A timing symbol for a response card. Play it only at the event printed on its face. Active-player priority applies when several players respond; then proceed in crows order.

Rule reference: Base p. 6

Geis

A Triskel Action card: after an opponent fully declares an Action card and before its effect changes anything, cancel its effect. Both cards are still considered played. Geis does not cancel yellow or red cards.

Rule reference: Base p. 6; Geis face

Druid

In the current base rules at two to four players, you must have at least one other Action card to play Druid’s recovery effect. Inspect the Action discard and take one card. At five players two others are required.

Rule reference: Current base Druid face; Nemed variant excluded

Clash

Movement into opposing clans normally starts a clash; placing clans does not. Resolve Citadels, then clockwise maneuvers by players with exposed clans. All exposed players can agree to stop before a maneuver.

Rule reference: Base pp. 7–8

Instigator

The owner of incoming clans, or the player named by an effect that initiates a clash. The instigator cannot shelter and begins maneuvers.

Rule reference: Base p. 7

Exposed clan

A clan in a clash that is not sheltered inside a Citadel. Only exposed clans take part in maneuvers or can be removed by a normal attack.

Rule reference: Base pp. 7–8

Attack

As a maneuver choose an opponent with an exposed clan. The defender either discards an Action card without its effect or returns one exposed clan to reserve. Without an Action card, a clan must be lost.

Rule reference: Base p. 8; Bard face

Withdraw

Move one or more exposed clans to adjacent territories where you are already chieftain. Withdrawal does not initiate another clash. One permitted movement can use sea adjacency with Seasons.

Rule reference: Base p. 8; Seasons p. 4

Pass

Spend your turn without playing a card. You may act if your turn comes again. All players passing consecutively ends the Season. The Brenn’s opening turn must be a Season card.

Rule reference: Base p. 6

Festival

The Action card recruits in a territory where you are present with a sanctuary and places the Festival marker. An instigator there loses a clan before Citadels. The marker expires at Season end.

Rule reference: Festival face; Base pp. 6–7

Flock of Crows

The coin-like token determines clockwise or counterclockwise order. Toss it during Assembly. This route records clockwise results; repeated results are possible.

Rule reference: Base pp. 5–6; relevant territory faces

Harbor

A harbor must open onto sea and cannot become enclosed by land tiles. A territory has at most one. For one permitted movement per effect, two harbor territories count as adjacent.

Rule reference: Seasons p. 4

Island

A territory with a blue border, placed apart from all other tiles across open sea. It never has land adjacency. Individual island restrictions still apply.

Rule reference: Seasons p. 4; island faces

Seasons

The optional board cycles Autumn → Winter → Spring → Summer. Its Sacred Festival resolves after drafting. Winter limits each card to three moved clans; Summer offers a paid movement option.

Rule reference: Seasons pp. 2–3; four reference faces

Sacred Festival

The seventh Assembly step with Seasons. Autumn trades Epics for recruits and caps the Epic hand at three; Winter offers an Action-for-Epic trade; Spring recruits for least total cards; Summer rewards most shared territories.

Rule reference: Seasons pp. 2–3; current reference faces

We Want a King

If leading Pretenders tie without the Brenn, each gains a Deed and the King tile flips. Play one final Season and one last Assembly. If no player qualifies, Brenn wins; a non-Brenn tie at this final check is shared.

Rule reference: Seasons p. 2

Reserve

Each color has exactly 12 clans across the table and its reserve. Place as much of a printed effect as possible when a supply cannot meet the full quantity. Buildings have their printed finite inventory.

Rule reference: Base pp. 2, 6

Assembly

Appoint Brenn, check victory and return Pretenders if the game continues, take Advantages, toss crows, deal, then draft. With Seasons, resolve the current Sacred Festival last.

Rule reference: Base p. 5; Seasons p. 3

Sources and scope

The source audit uses the 2025 English base and expansion rulebooks, with corrected component faces and documented designer clarifications. Sources were checked on 8 September 2026.

Reading guide reviewed 2026-09-15; based on tutorial v1.0.4. This date records an editorial review of the existing tutorial, not a new rules edition. Strategic suggestions are conditional interpretations, separate from official rules.